Death Valley Road

It all started on a hot summer day. I’m so lost; they say take the road less traveled but that leads to a dead end, down a lonely dark cold road with no outlet. I turn around but my vision is blocked by a blinding light; if I go back the way I came, I would have to feel my way as the light is so blinding. Stuck in a heart drenching situation staying on this road with no outlet, or turning around to the blinding light that was not there when I traveled down the road less traveled. No phone service to call for help, tears begin to roll down my eyes; I feel my fate for taking this road less traveled. No signs of human existence or even a ounce of water. I began to yell at the top of my lungs until I can't yell anymore; I drop to the ground in disbelief, or maybe delusion; to my eyes, appear a serpent.

The serpent begins to speak, "What are you doing on Death Valley Road?”

I speak what you can talk; with my eyes bucking like a raging bull.

"I thought it would be a good idea to take the road less traveled!” I say.

The serpent begins to hiss then says, “I can show you the way out for a price; you smell of baby milk; you would have to sacrifice the baby that the milk belong to, to me!”

“Mr. Serpent, I surely couldn’t do that!”

“Well, your fate is sealed. I told you this was Death Valley Road, and now it time you die!”

Before I knew it, I grab a brick and hit the serpent head with it, he twitches then lay there lifeless. The sun begins to shine and I can see all around me, in relief I run toward a house and a old lady opens the door.

The old lady says, “Who are you? How did you find me? Why is the sun shining? Where is my son? He was turned to a snake and vowed to protect me from intruders! I’m in disbelief, is this a dream or reality?"

I say to the lady, “Ma’am, I had to kill your son to escape a deadly fate.”

“Do you know what you’ve done, at midnight you will become a serpent and need a baby sacrifice to be human a again!”

I’m thinking this can’t be, but how!

“Once you entered Death Valley Road, that’s the only way out. A baby sacrifice," the old lady says.

I began to slouch down and tears began to fall the sun already set and time had passed; I began to feel funny; I was lowered to the ground and I could see my tongues flicker; I say to myself, the old lady was right. I just hope this is a dream and I wake up from it and just laugh. I would wish this on my worst enemy, or would I. It has been a day and I trapped in this slimy, slinky-like body; longing to go home to my family, and still hoping that this is a dream. I wonder do they miss me; have they been looking for me? I hope they don’t give up on their search for me. I can’t take this, I see why the serpent wanted the sacrifice to go back to being normal. I wonder how long will I be trapped here. Or will I die here? Only time will tell. Goodbye for now, I have to shed my skin. Haha haha, until next time, we will meet again, on Death Valley Road.